Valve tool



C. HAWKINS May 16, 1933.

VALVE TOOL Filed June 17, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. C64/'oem fawm,

ATTOR EY May 16, 1.933. C. HAwKlNs 1,909,175

VALVE TOOL Filed June 17', 1930 2 Sheets-SheetI 2 Patented May 16, 1933 orner:

CHARLES HAWKDQ'S, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO 'y VALVE Toor.

applicati mea Anu 17,

` My invention relates broadly to valve tools andmore particularly to a hand tool for centering the valve lock of an internal combustion engine valve in position.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a construction of hand tool by which a valvel lock inianinternal combustion engine valve may be positioned with respect to the stem of a poppet valve in an internal combustion engine for locking the spring of the valve in position. e

Another object of my invention is to provide a construction of valve tool having means fory supporting the parts of a valve lock in position while centering the same with respect to a valve spring in the assembly of a poppet valve. c y

A `further object of my' invention is tok provide a constructionof hand tool for cen- 2-0 tering half cone shaped valve locks `concentrically about a valve stem in an internal combustionV engine. n y y.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a construction of valve centering `tool wherein a tool adjustable about the stem of a poppet valve is provided with resilient clamp devices which serve to grip parts of a valveflock and position the parts beneath the spring of a poppet valve during the assembly process of the valve.

Other and further. objects of my invention reside in the construction of the tool as set forth more fully in the specification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

s Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the valve of an internal combustion engine showing the valve actuating spring raised by means of a valve lifter and s the tool of my invention in position for assembling the valve locks with respect to the valve stem; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the valve stem lifting tool in its contracted position and the valve spring confiningwasher about to seat on the valve spring locking cones; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the valve stem about to be removed, the valve spring and the half cone shaped locky members hav- '50 ing been removed from the reducing annular n shaped valve locks'preparatory to the yposi- 1930. Serial No. 461.821.

seat on the valve stem; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectionary view on a large scale taken on line 4 4 of F1g.`7 showing more particularly the spring finger carried by the tool of my invention and adapted to removably hold the halfcone shaped valve locks in position; Fig. p 5 isa transverse vertical sectional view on line 5 5 of Fig. 4 showing one jaw of the centering tool in position; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showingv the centering tool removed and with one of the half cone shaped valve locks retained in position in the annular, seat on the valve stem; Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 7.-7 of Fig. 4; Fig. 8 is similar to the illustration shown in Fig. 7 but illustrating the,v jaws of the cone applying tool in an extended position andthe two halves of the kconeshaped valve locks seated on the valve stem.. Fig.y 9 is a side elevation of the valve cone applying tool; and Fig. 10 is a plan view showing the tool of my invention with the Jaws open and ready to receive the half cone ti'oning thereof yadjacent the` valve stem. Heretofore in the art the assembly and disassembly of akpoppet valve employing half cone shaped locks for maintaining the valve spring in position with respectto the valve Stem, has been diiiicult. vThe poppet valves in internal combustion` engines are. mounted in close proximity to the exhaust manifold and the available space in which av mechanic may work is extremely limited. Heretofore when using a spring lifting tool it has been necessary to remove Vthe half cone shaped valve locks by reaching under the sprin washer andpickingofr` the half cone shape valve locks. Under the conditions of the lim-i ited space and when the engine has been run- 9 ning and is hot, this' disassembly process isy inconvenientr and often results in severe burns to the fingers of the mechanic. Inassembling the half cone shaped valve locks in the aunular seat on the valve stem it has been nec- 95 essary to stick the half cone shaped valve lock on the end of the finger kby means vof grease and attempt to position the valve locky in place. This process has not been satisfactory. I have designed the valve tool of my 10o invention to facilitate the centering of half cone shaped valve locks in position regardless of the condition of temperature or the confined space in which the mechanic must work. I provide a tong construction of tool wherein closing of a pair of hand levers imparts similarmovement to a pair of jaws each of which carries a resilient spring device Hex-k ibly secured to the end of each The spring devices are carried by opposite spring jaws adapted to be aligned on either side of the valve stem. The spring devices are each anchored to the jaws of the centering tool adjacent a point along the peripheral edge thereof Thehalf cone shaped valve locks are each carried by the spring devices which.

are free to move for the adjustment of the half cone shaped locks on either side of the annular seat on the valve stem.V The valve spring is raised by use of a lifting tool and the device of my invention slipped beneath the washer which carries the spring and centers it around the annular seat on the valve stem. The half cone shaped valve locks are then directly positioned against the valve stem, the lifting tool released thereby restoring the valve spring against the half cone shaped valve locks. `The half cone shaped valve locks are automatically dislodged from the centering tool by the movement of the washer which carries the valve spring against the centering tool as the spring lifting tool is removed. The tool of my invention has been found to be extremely convenient in use and fills a requirement not heretofore met in the art.

As will fully appear inthe drawings, the tool of my invention is adapted for inserting half cone shaped valve locks beneath the washer of a spring pressed poppet valve. In many types of internal combustion engines the cotter pin' is `no longer used but in lieu thereof the stem is provided with an annular groove in which the half cone shaped valveloclrs fit on opposite sides of the valve stem. This construction adds to the strength of the valve stem as the construction avoids the aperturing of the valve stem with the accompanying weakening of the stem at the core thereof. Inthe drawings, reference character 1 designates the valve stem which carries a pop-pet valve 2 on the end thereof adapted to seat against valve seat 3 for admitting or exhausting gases from the chamber 4. A guide for the valve stem 1 hasr been represented generally at 5. The cam shaft for operating the valve is shown at 6 for driving cam 7 against the anti-friction cam roller 8 which is attachedto the valve plunger 9'. The valve plunger 9 reciprocates vertically in the valve plunger guide 10. An adjusting screw 11 is provided in the head of the valve plunger 9. A valve spring 12 is concentrically disposed `about the valve stem'l and is mounted over the guide 5 operating against the washer 14. Washer 14 has an annular peripheral flange and a central conical shaped portion 15. The central portion 15 extends upwardly and is shaped to house a pair of half cone shaped lock members 16 and 17 shown more clearly in Figs. 7 and 8. In order to insert the half cone valve locks in position with respect to the valve stem the mechanic raises with one hand spring 12 and washer 14 by means of the valve spring lifter designated at 18. The valve stem 1 is provided with a reduced annular portion 19 at its lower extremity positioned with respect to the length of spring 12 so as to secure the valve stemr 1 and head 2 thereof under compression against'seat 3 when the half cone shaped valve locks are in position.

The tool of my invention is shown in Fig. 1 carried in the other hand of the mechanic for centering the half `cone shaped valve locks in position on opposite sides of the annular seat 19. The tool comprises a pair of handle members 2O and 21 which cross each other and are pivoted at 22. A spring 23 is provided and normally.maintains the aw members 20 and 21 in closed position illustrated in Fig. 7. The jaw members are opened when the extensions of the jaw members which form handles are grasped and compressed against the action of spring 23. The extremity of each jaw member 2O and 21 carries semi-circular spring members 24 and 25 which are resiliently mounted thereon by means of upwardly projecting lugs 26 and 27, respectively. 'Ihe spring member24 is welded at its center 24a( totheupwardly extending lug 26 which has a curvilinear inner surface to which the spring member 24 is secured. The spring member 24 is substantially tangential to the lug 26 and is spaced from the jaw member 26 by the connection with lug 26. By reason of the central ,connection of the spring member 24 to the curvilinear shaped lug 26 andthe inherent resiliency thereof, the springmeniber 24 is free` to nieve at either end `inthe process'of adjustably positioning the half cone shaped valve lock 17 in the annular seat 1'9. i Similarly the spring member 25 is welded to thecurvilinear inner surface of the upstanding lugv 27 for securing the spring member thereto at 25a so that the spring 25 is substantially tangential to lug 27 whereby it is free to move at either Aend' thereof by' reason of the inherent resiliency of the material from which the member is formed dur-v lavo Y opposite end. The spring member 25 has a` radially extending spring jaw 255 adjacent one end and a radially extending spring jaw 250 adjacent the opposite end. The inner surfaces of each of the spring members 24 and 25 are semicircular and are adapted to grip the half cone shaped valve locks without obstruction.

As the two half cone shaped valve locks are centered on opposite sides ofthe annular seat 19, the spring lifting tool is gradually released as shown in Fig. 2 and the spring 12 expands forcing washer member 14 against the half cone shaped valve locks 16 and 17 thereby compressing these valve locks on opposite sides of the annular seat 19. The valve locks are thus heldsnugly by the housing formed by the upwardly extending portion of the Washer member 14 for retaining the valve in assembled position. Each of the spring members 24 and 25 have suicient resiliency to accommodate themselves to the annular seat in the valve stem for releasingfthe half cone shaped valve locks in the proper positions to enable the valve locks to snugly seat beneath the housing 15 of the washer 14. When the valve locks have each been located in place about the valve stem and beneath the housing 15 of the washer 14 the tool is readily removed by slipping the spring members 24 and 25 down over the half cone shaped valve locks.

The tongs or handles of the valve tool are of such length as Will enable the tool to be used in a congested space, inasmuch as the half cone shaped valve locks may be centered with respect to the valve stem while working a relatively long distance away from the valve stem and free of the exhaust manifold.

I have found the tool of my invention extremely useful and practical in its construcabove the jaw members and presenting a smooth inner gripping face to which is substantially tangential the inner face of each of said upstanding lugs, said semi-circular shaped resilient bands having their ends turned inwardly in a substantially diametrical line and freely `movable for gripping a. pair of half cone shaped valve locks` supported on the jaw members of said tool in a position whereby said valve locks may be centered Within the annular valve seat of a valve stem.`

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES HAWKINS.

tion and operation. The tool has been successfully used in mounting the `half cone shaped valve locks on poppet valves in a variety of different types of motors. e

While I have described the tool of my invention in certain preferred embodiments, I desire that it be understood that modifications may be made and that no limitations upon my invention are intended other than are imposed by the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

A valve tool for setting half cone shaped Valve locks comprising a pair of pivotally connecting arms terminating in jaw members at one end thereof, said jaw members being apertured to embrace opposite sides of a valve stem, each having a curved inner face, upstanding curved lugs adjacent the extremity of said arms, a semi-circular shaped resilient band attached to the curved inner face of said upstandiug lugs in a position spaced ioo 

